Fraternity-Testvériség, 2002 (80. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
2002-01-01 / 1. szám
Page 18 TESTVÉRISÉG Join Hands Day Changing our thinking, Changing ourselves By John L. Dutton, President, Join Hands Day You already know something about Join Hands Day. Now I want to tell you the rest of the story. Most Americans are deeply disappointed with “kids these days.” No more than two in five adults, parents or teens themselves, say youngsters today will grow up to make America a better place. The reality is that teens place a high value on honesty and hard work, and the vast majority are thinking and planning seriously for the future. The majority of teens say they volunteer, attend church or synagogue weekly, read the newspaper regularly and attend cultural events. It is just as important to know that young people see adults as controlling, inflexible and distant. And for good reason. According to a study of adult behavior by Search Institute and Lutheran Brotherhood, most adults are not at all involved in the lives of neighborhood teens. They don’t know their names. They don’t say: “hi, how ya’doin’? They don’t do the little things that count. Join Hands Day is a day for youth and adults to reach across the generational divide and learn something. They do it by planning and carrying out a volunteer project together. The first reach across is a little risky, and scary for beginners. On Join Hands Day 2001, more than 100,000 people took the chance in more than 4,000 projects all across America. Indiana University evaluators reported that Join Hands Day seems to have had a strong impact on the attitudes of young people and adults towards each other. The impact is cumulative. Those who participated in Join Hands Day in both 2000 and 2001 changed more than those who volunteered only once. Most participants were generally comfortable with and enjoyed the company of other generations. About 80 percent of both youth and adults said that if older and younger people took time to understand each other, there wouldn’t be so many social problems. Join Hands Day was created by America’s Fraternal Societies because they want to make America a better place to grow up and grow old. The Points of Light Foundation is a partner of this important work. Some people think Join Hands Day is mostly about doing a volunteer project in June each year. The projects only set the stage for the real deal—changing the way we think and feel and relate to someone younger or older next door. That’s the rest of the story. Why not reach across the generation gap yourself on Saturday, June 15, 2002! I know you’ll be glad you did. A IOINKJÄKHDSDAY it starts with us ___________________________________Ism Sponsored by America’s Fraternal Benefit Societies In Partnership with The Points of Light Foundation and the Volunteer Center National Network JUNE 15, 2002 www.joinhandsday.org The Hungarian Reformed Federation of America and America’s Fraternal Benefit Societies, in partnership with The Points of Light Foundation, invite YOU to be part of the 3rd Annual JOIN HANDS DAY Saturday, June 15, 2002 This day is dedicated to bringing youth, adults and community groups together to plan projects for their neighborhoods. JOIN US AS WE JOIN HANDS FOR A BETTER TOMORROW Call the Home Office at 1-888-567-7884 for information
